


(How can I) be just your friend?

by digthewriter



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-30
Updated: 2014-01-30
Packaged: 2018-01-10 14:49:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1160966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/digthewriter/pseuds/digthewriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Merlin gets drunk with Gwaine and then confesses his feelings to Arthur.</p><p>Written for Merlin_Writers January Theme: Drunk!Fic</p>
            </blockquote>





	(How can I) be just your friend?

**Author's Note:**

> Merlin is owned by the BBC and Shine. No copyright infringement is intended and no profit is being made. Don't send us to the dungeons.
> 
>  **Warnings** : AU: Gwaine knows about Merlin's magic.

Title: (How can I) be just your friend?

* * *

Merlin was famous for being at the tavern. It was supposed to be the thing he did when Arthur couldn't find him. Gaius couldn't come up with a better excuse so he'd given Merlin the reputation of lazy manservant who spent most of his time inebriated. Of course, no one knew that the times Merlin had gone missing, it had something to do with his magic. His magic that no one knew about, except for Gaius, Lancelot and more recently Gwaine.

After another victory in which Merlin had helped Arthur and the knights save Camelot from the very thing he'd used to do it. Magic. It didn't feel much like a triumph.

"Don't be so down on yourself, Merlin!" Gwaine said, trying to cheer Merlin up. But Merlin couldn't help the sinking feeling in his gut. Every victory against Magic was also another defeat, of who Merlin was and couldn't reveal himself to be.

Merlin shrugged off the pat on the back and decided to take his leave. He was just going to go and sulk in his room. Maybe learn a new spell he probably couldn't show anyone anyway.

"Come and let's have a drink!" Gwaine commanded.

"You know I don't drink," Merlin answered as he prepared to leave the castle.

"Nonsense, you must start tonight!" Gwaine pulled Merlin's arm and managed to get a tight grip around him so that Merlin couldn't get away.

"Gwaine..." Merlin whined, struggling to get free, but to no avail.

"Where are the two of you going?" Merlin heard Arthur's voice from behind him, and Gwaine turned immediately, yanking Merlin around with him, his grip still holding strong. Arthur eyes glanced towards Gwaine's hand on Merlin's waist and Merlin couldn't help but turn red. He felt his cheeks flush as his face began to burn. Arthur was probably coming to the wrong conclusion.

Gwaine flirted with anything that had a pulse, and there was no doubt that Merlin looked like his latest conquest.

Gwaine loosened his grip around Merlin's waist and Merlin inaudibly sighed quietly with relief, but Gwaine seemed to ignore it. Gwaine had taken a hold of Merlin's shoulders and began rubbing them. "I'm taking Merlin to the tavern with me. We're going to have a celebratory drink, try to loosen him up a little."

"I'm plenty loose," Merlin retorted, to which Gwaine only laughed.

"What do you say, Arthur? Won't you come with us?" Gwaine asked.

"I can't. I'm due to have dinner with my father and Morgana." Arthur's voice was firm and impenitent. "Have one on me," he added and turned to walk away.

Merlin wanted to run after him. Tell him that he was willing to serve him for the night, and he didn't have to go to the tavern with Gwaine. Merlin wished that Arthur had simply demanded Merlin attend to his duties. Then, at least, he could have been with Arthur.

"I think I should—"

"You should what?" Gwaine interrupted.

"He might need me. For the dinner—"

"Don't be daft, Merlin," Gwaine said, pulling on Merlin's arm again as they walked through the castle doors. "If Arthur needed you, he would have just asked you for it. Don't you think? It's never stopped him before."

Merlin nodded and allowed Gwaine's words to settle in. Maybe he was right. Maybe Arthur just didn't need him anymore.

—

When they arrived at the tavern, Gwaine seemed to know everyone. There wasn't a doubt in Merlin's mind as to how many times Gwaine frequented the place and how in Arthur's mind, Merlin was the same kind of Tavern regular, maybe even a known drunk.

"You really need to cheer up, Merlin," Gwaine said as he plopped to pints in front of them.

Merlin didn't say anything. He took his tankard and gulped down a large sip. He was immediately reminded of the time he and Arthur had gone travelling in search of Gwaine. They had started to get close and then the brawl had yanked them out of it.

"Please don't tell me you're thinking about _him_ again!"

"About who?" Merlin asked, looking confused. He took another gulp of his drink, trying to hide the fact that his feelings were always just so obvious to Gwaine.

"You know who!" Gwaine said. "You think I don't know that..." He lowered his voice, "...that you fancy the Prince."

"Don't be ridiculous. I just worry, is all."

"Right, and I just talk to pretty girls because I find them interesting," Gwaine teased. He'd been chatting up the broad with the fiery red hair and blue eyes whose breasts were each the size of Gwaine's head. Gwaine was just so predictable in his type.

"I'm leaving," Merlin told Gwaine an hour later. He'd been sitting alone having one drink after another whilst Gwaine chatted up the woman with the red hair.

"Where are you going to go?"

Merlin shrugged. "Back to my chambers. I need to sleep. I've got an early day."

"Right, you just want Arthur to not look at you with disdain for once," Gwaine said. "You're just hoping he won't think you're a tavern slut like me. You should just let him think that. Make him jealous."

Merlin shrugged again and walked away. As he approached the castle, he struggled in keeping his balance. He cursed Gwaine for letting him drink so much more than he was capable of handling. He hiccupped and almost toppled over as he managed to find the hallway that led to the Court Physician's chambers.

"Merlin?"

Merlin hiccupped and turned to find Arthur simply walking the corridors. He lost his balance again and Arthur rushed to save him from falling off.

"Arth—" Merlin hiccupped.

"How much did you have?"

"I don't know, Gwaine..."

"I should have known better than to let Gwaine drag you down with him," Arthur said, scowling. He had the most disapproving look on his face, Merlin thought.

"You could have come with us, but of course, you can't be seen buying your servant a drink," Merlin said as he straightened up. The halls had begun spinning around and he'd forgotten which way he was headed.

"I—" Arthur hesitated.

"Sorry, I shall be off then," Merlin said and looked down the hallway confused. "Which way—" He pointed in both the directions, hoping Arthur would enlighten him.

"That was a very long time ago," Arthur said, evidently ignoring Merlin's concern.

"I know, but you still hate me the same." Merlin turned to his right and began walking.

"I don't hate you. And it's this way," Arthur said, pulling on Merlin's arm.

"Ow!" Merlin fought to yank his arm away from Arthur's grip, but he was unsuccessful. "I don't like it when you bully me around like this. You're always manhandling me!" Arthur didn't answer and he kept dragging Merlin. Merlin laughed, finding his own words amusing.

"What are you laughing about?"

"If Gwaine were here—"

Arthur sighed. "I can take you to his quarters, but I'm afraid you're too inebriated for him to shag tonight," he said.

"Gross!" Merlin retorted. "That's _disgusting_. I do not want to shag _Gwaine_!" Merlin's entire body shivered at the thought of it. He loved Gwaine like a brother, and nothing else. He could never even think of him like that.

"Fair enough," Arthur said, slightly amused. "Then what's the fascination with Gwaine?"

Merlin scowled. "I don't remember. Where's my room?" he asked as he realised that he was in fact not walking towards Gaius's chambers.

"We're not going to the Physician's quarters," Arthur told him and they continued to walk.

"Oh, manhandle me..." Merlin remembered. "That's why I thought about Gwaine, because you bully me so much!"

"That makes _no_ sense," Arthur said. His grip around Merlin had tightened and Merlin leaned into the touch. Merlin's face was mere centimetres away from Arthur's neck and he took in his smell, and shivered again. "What are you doing?"

"You boss me around. Gwaine would have joked that I like it." 

"Do you?" Arthur asked, turned to face Merlin. His gaze shifted from Merlin's eyes to his lips, then back to his eyes. "Like it?"

"More than I'd care to admit," Merlin replied. "Why are we not going to my place?"

"Because you are drunk and I don't want Gaius to see you like this. He'd only worry, that poor old man." Merlin let out a disappointed scoff. "What?" Arthur asked.

"I don't know. I was sort of hoping..." Merlin paused. The words he'd already uttered, and the words he was thinking was not something he would ever tell Arthur in a sober state.

"What?"

"It was because you wanted to manhandle me some more," Merlin answered straightening himself up as they approached the door to Arthur's room.

"You _want_ me to--?"

Merlin shrugged. "Tie me up, whatever." He smiled and stood against the wall across from the door. "So, I'll just stay here, then?" he asked, pointing at the spot on the floor.

"Get in the room, Merlin," Arthur commanded, with a bit more determination than normal, Merlin noticed.

"Yes, Sire." Merlin nodded obediently, and walked into the room. He walked around Arthur's bed and stood awkwardly. He wasn't sure where on the floor Arthur wanted him to sleep.

Arthur slowly walked up to Merlin, close, then closer. His hands reached back around Merlin's neck and untied his scarf. Merlin shuddered at feeling Arthur's touch on his skin. With the mead in his system, he was more sensitive to it than normal. He let out a soft moan as Arthur's fingers lingered on the neck just a bit longer. Again, he wasn't sure if the sound he'd thought he'd made was in his head or had actually escaped him.

"You like that?" Arthur whispered.

"Yes, Sire," Merlin answered, his eyes closed as he involuntarily, slightly, thrust towards Arthur. He immediately opened them again, realising that his erection had just brushed up against Arthur's. Arthur was _hard_. He looked down and noticed the slight tent in Arthur's trousers.

Then, everything went black.

—-

The light was creeping into the room through the large windows, and as Merlin opened his eyes, his head was pounding, and he wished he'd rather be dead than suffer through this pain.

"What?" he immediately gasped as he noticed that he barely had any clothes on and was on Arthur's bed. _Arthur's bed_! With Arthur's arm around him.

"Good morning," Arthur whispered, removing his arm and turned over.

"What happened?" Merlin nearly shrieked.

"You mean, you don't remember?" Arthur asked, slightly smirking. Oh Merlin hated that smirk. It meant he was in _big trouble._

"Sire, if I behaved in anyway—" Merlin panicked, wondering if he'd forced himself on Arthur.

Arthur pulled Merlin towards him and before he'd realised what had happened, Merlin was kissing Arthur. Arthur pushed his tongue in Merlin's mouth as he rolled him over on the bed and got on top of him. He jerked his hips lightly, and pressed his erection against Merlin's thigh.

"Sire—"

Arthur immediately stopped and looked at Merlin. He seemed a bit hurt, or disappointed, Merlin couldn't tell.

"I confessed my feelings, didn't I?" Merlin asked.

"In so many words," Arthur said, bucking his hips again.

"Did we—?"

"No, you were far too drunk for _that_ ," Arthur answered. "You noticed me..." Arthur glanced down towards their groin, "and wanted to suck me off..."

"Oh, God!" Merlin was mortified.

"But, I managed to get you in bed, and you were asleep before I managed to tuck you in," Arthur added.

"And you like me? That wasn't a dream," Merlin said.

Arthur nodded and pushed himself on Merlin again. "More than like you, Merlin. Even though you had me believe that you were shagging Gwaine."

Merlin shivered again with disgust. "Gods, no!" he exclaimed. "I just never thought you'd want me..."

Arthur kissed Merlin again as he wrapped his arms around Arthur's waist. He pulled on Arthur's shirt and managed to remove it before tackling his trousers. Moments later, they were both in their pants and Arthur was pushing his cock against Merlin as he stroked him above the fabric.

"Arthur," Merlin moaned into Arthur's mouth. He was afraid that he'd come just with Arthur's touch before they even had a chance to do anything.

"Turn," Arthur commanded, and Merlin immediately followed. "I also didn't forget how you love to be bossed around, Merlin." Merlin let out a low groan at Arthur's statement. All of his desires were going to come to life. He'd told Arthur how he felt, and Arthur had wanted him back!

Arthur was behind Merlin in an instant; he lowered Merlin's pants and began to trace his entrance with his finger. Merlin groaned desperately at Arthur's touch. "Want you," he whispered, and Arthur slightly pushed a finger in.

"How did you—?" Merlin questioned when he felt the slick finger enter him.

"I succeeded in finding a phial of oil before going to sleep. In case, you didn't have any regrets in the morning." Arthur kissed the back of Merlin's neck. 

"That's rather ingenious," Merlin said.

"Try not to sound so surprised, Merlin." Arthur pushed a second finger; his right hand gripped Merlin's shoulder, as he slid his fingers in and out of Merlin's hole.

"More," Merlin begged, pushing back onto Arthur's fingers. "Please, Sire!"

It was long until Arthur removed his fingers and pushed his cock inside Merlin with ease. His hand wrapped around Merlin and began to tug on his cock as he started to slide in and out of Merlin's hole.

"God, Merlin. You feel _amazing_ ," Arthur whispered. "So good."

"Try not to sound so surprised, Sire," Merlin teased, earning himself a harsh thrust that he'd secretly hoped for. His hole clenched tightly against Arthur's cock and Arthur moaned again, and Merlin did it again.

Arthur let go of Merlin's cock as he grabbed Merlin's hips and started to concentrate on his thrusts. "Touch yourself," he demanded and Merlin obliged. Merlin matched Arthur's rhythm and he could feel Arthur's eyes on him, watching him work, pleasuring his own cock as Arthur's so beautifully slid in and out.

Merlin closed his eyes and panted, fisting his cock and whispering Arthur's name. It was almost like being in his bed, but, Arthur _being there_ with him made everything a thousand times better.

"Fuck, Merlin," Arthur whispered again. "You feel so good..."

"I love you," Merlin mumbled as he started to spill over his hand. He gasped immediately, realising he'd said it aloud, in Arthur's presence. Normally, when he was alone, he'd utter the words as he came. It was habit, really. But now Arthur had heard him!

" _Mer_..." Arthur spilled himself inside Merlin, continuing to thrust into him. His moans only became louder with each jerk, and Merlin hoped that perhaps Arthur hadn't heard him. He relaxed under Arthur as Arthur rode out the last of his orgasm.

Arthur held Merlin from behind for a while, catching his breath and Merlin leaned into his embrace. "Love," Arthur whispered, and Merlin stiffened up again.

"Sire—" Merlin turned to face Arthur.

"Shh..." Arthur placed a finger on Merlin's lips and Merlin immediately stopped talking. "Don't say anything, or you'll ruin the moment," he said and Merlin nodded. Removing the sheet that was spread under them, Arthur helped clean up Merlin.

They threw the sheet on the floor, and Arthur wrapped himself and Merlin under the blanket. Merlin nuzzled into Arthur as he slumped into Arthur's embrace.

"And Merlin?"

"Hmm?"

"Me too."

"Arthur—"

"And if you ever go drinking with Gwaine, without me, ever again—"

"Yeah?"

"I'll make you sleep outside the door."

"Yes, Sire."

THE END.


End file.
